Bruises: A Love Story in Three Acts
by Scarlet Eve
Summary: We didn't realize it at the time, but it takes more than a shared childhood filled with war to keep two people together. Once the fighting was over and our lives were no longer in danger, we found there was little to bind us together.
1. Act 1

**Bruises: A Love Story in Three Acts**

by Scarlet Eve

* * *

_Haven't seen you since high school_

_Good to see you're still beautiful_

_Gravity hasn't started to pull_

_quite yet. I bet you're rich as hell._

* * *

**Act 1**

_Resurgences_

We didn't realize it at the time, but it takes more than a shared childhood filled with war to keep two people together. Once the fighting was over and our lives were no longer in danger, we found there was little to bind us together.

We did try, for a long time, too. But the life of a politician and the life of a soldier can only remain on the same track for so long before they must turn off in different directions. And so we did what we thought was right for both of us. We agreed the decision to split was mutual, but that didn't mean I didn't cry when I watched him leave out the front door of my home, and disappear from my life.

But as it does, life moved on. I continued to work as the Vice Foreign Minister, later being elected to Foreign Minister. I fought for peace, for the people, and for Mars. I tried to keep in touch with as many friends from the war as possible, too. Quatre and Dorothy were easy, as they moved within similar circles as I. Duo and Hilde were easy to keep in touch with as well, since they're both always so friendly. Anytime my work brought me to L2, they'd invite me for dinner and drinks. With them, I had a chance to see life as a normal person, out of the spotlight. I have been and still remain a bit envious of those two.

Sally and Wufei, of course, as part of the Preventer Organization, passed me by on occasion, but never for long. It was too hard to keep up with each other's lives. But no one is to blame. It is just the way of life. Trowa sent me tickets to the circus every time they were in town, and I always tried to make it.

When I sat alone in my office, I would daydream about the life I wish I could have. I tried to imagine being free from constant meetings and engagements, and what it would be like to see my travel itinerary list warm, beautiful locations instead of large cities, still trying to rebuild from the destruction of wars. I would even sometimes imagine standing in line outside of a theatre, waiting to get into a concert, like I would see when driving around Brussels and other cities, wearing leather pants and a pound of outrageous makeup on my face.

But then my phone would ring, and bring me out of my daydream. I truly love my work, but still…

Perhaps my own tenacity is to blame. I work more than I live. Perhaps I should try harder to leave work on time, and to make plans with friends to go out to dinner, or get drinks. See a movie. Perhaps if I did not daydream so often, I would get more done during the day. Perhaps I should switch from tea to coffee.

* * *

The summer of A.C. 203 was the three year mark since I last watched Heero Yuy disappear out of my life. I had not seen nor heard of him since then. We stayed on our own sides of the world, I suppose, to live our own lives, and never contacted each other. I would have liked to have heard from him every once in a while, but I know that each time would leave me wrecked and feeling more lonely than usual.

You can imagine my surprise, when during the Preventer Committee Quarterly meeting, Heero Yuy's name showed up on the meeting agenda.

I hadn't been sleeping well lately, so I thought I was slightly delusional when his name swam before my eyes. I had to blink several times and stare closely at the paper in front of me before I realized that I wasn't seeing things. His name really was there, under the heading "Additional business."

I spent the first part of the meeting only half paying attention. My brain could not stop wondering why Heero's name was on the agenda. Was he in some sort of trouble? Several times I tried to catch Lady Une's eye from across the table, but she kept her gaze fixed at either the agenda, her notepad, or the committee leader. Finally, when the committee leader reached that section, I was given some explanation.

"I know that new hires are not a part of our normal meeting," he said, "but this is a special case. Heero Yuy has applied for the role of Director of Security at the Preventers. Being that he does not have formal experience, I thought it best to bring this decision before the committee. All present are aware of Heero Yuy's past during the wars, where he showed exceptional amounts of skill, training, and discipline. Now that his formal education is complete, I believe he would be an excellent addition to the Preventer organization. Colonel Une has given her recommendation for him as well." The committee leader pressed a button on his laptop and Heero Yuy's resume appeared on the projector screen. I swallowed hard before I glanced at it, and saw his picture in the top right hand corner of the screen. He looked older, more grown up, but his eyes were the same. And there was still no smile on that face. My heart skipped a beat looking at him, but I forced myself to focus.

"Does anyone have anything to say on the matter of hiring Heero Yuy as Director of Security?" the committee leader asked, looking around the table. Several people glanced at me, and I tried not to blush. They knew our history. The committee leader noticed that several people were staring at me. "Miss Darlian?"

I folded my hands in front of me and took a deep breath to steady myself. "I think he would be a great asset to the organization," I said, as diplomatically as possible. A few faces looked disappointed, as if I may burst into tears and either proclaim how amazing he is or how he shattered my heart in a million pieces. Unfortunately for them, neither are true. Though many called Heero Yuy the "Perfect Soldier," he still had his faults. I held eye contact with the committee leader until he tore his eyes away and glanced around the table.

"If there is no objection, then we can authorize Colonel Une to proceed with hiring Mr. Yuy," he said, and Une gave a brief nod. I sort of hoped that she'd look at me, but her eyes remained focused elsewhere.

* * *

That night, I received an unexpected phone call from Duo. His initial greeting was cheerful, but his demeanor quickly dissolved into one of being uncomfortable and nervous. "Duo, is something wrong?" I asked him. He tugged at his shirt collar.

"Well uh, I'm sure you know about Heero coming to work at the Preventers…" he began. I nodded my head, waiting for him to go one. "Well, I just thought I should tell you something before he shows up there."

"What is it?" I asked, feeling my stomach drop. A nervous Duo never brought good news. He scratched at his head, his eyes jumping around the camera on his phone.

"It's just that, while Heero was in Japan…" I didn't even know he'd been there. "he met someone."

I felt my lip twitch. I tried to smile, but I couldn't.

"Sorry," Duo said, still looking anxious. I forced myself to smile. Really forced.

"It's okay. I mean, he's free to do what he wants, right? Just like I am," I replied, though every one who knew me knew I only took that as far as having _two_ glasses of wine at night instead of one. Duo was looking at my skeptically, so I sighed. "Look, we split up mutually. And of course I still care for him, but our lives were just never on the same page. To be honest, I'd love to be casual friends with him again," I said.

"If you say so," Duo replied, not looking quite convinced. "Well, if you need me to come down there and throttle him, let me know. I'll hop the first shuttle to Earth." I laughed, shaking my head.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary, but thank you Duo."

We said our goodbyes and ended the call. I sat, staring at the blank screen for several minutes while I pondered what all this would mean for me. I suppose if he didn't bring this girl around the Preventer office, I would never have to see her, so it wouldn't be a problem. And surely he wouldn't parade her in front of me- Heero wasn't cruel. It would just have to be a wait and see game.

* * *

I didn't have to wait long. I received the e-mail a week later, on Monday morning. The _congratulations on the new hire_ email that was sent to all employees and committee members. It was a short paragraph detailing a quick summary of his skills and background (which I knew to be false), and contained his most recent ID photo. I couldn't help myself- I stared at the picture much longer than I should have. He just looked so much older, so handsome… yet, and perhaps I was just imagining it, but there seemed to be a hollow look about his eyes. It made me sad to see.

It must have been the first Sally knew of it, as she called me a short time later. The expression on her face was one of wonder and surprise.

"They hired him in as Director of Security?" she asked, gaping at me through the screen. "Where has he even been?"

I shrugged. "According to Duo, he's been in Japan, studying," I told her. "He was brought up during the quarterly meeting at the Preventers. To uh, make sure no one had a problem with hiring him." Sally gave a short laugh.

"I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have a former gundam pilot working at the Director of Security," Sally said, a bit sarcastically.

"You know that information has been erased," I said.

"But you can't erase the minds of the people," Sally countered.

"Not _legally_," I replied, eyeing Sally through the vid-phone. She scowled.

"We _had_ to do that, to protect you and the other politicians," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. I had to grin.

"I'm just teasing. Anyway, I'm sure it'll be fine. He is more than capable of handling that job, I'm sure," I said, conceding the argument. Sally leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're right, I suppose. I guess I'm more worried about you," she said. I flapped my hand at her dismissively.

"You and Noin need to quit talking so much," I said. Sally's expression changed slightly, meaning she'd been caught.

"She likes to know how you are from an outsiders perspective," Sally said. "She thinks you lie."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Tell her I'll be okay. We won't even see each other anyway. _And_ I have another long trip coming up." Sally still looked skeptical, but she said nothing else on the matter. We chatted a little longer about the mission they were on, and how _unusually_ cranky Wufei was, then we ended our call to go our own ways.

* * *

_To Be a Friend_

I almost made it through the week without seeing or even thinking about him. The itinerary for my trip had to be nailed down, several projects completed, and note cards to write for upcoming meetings.

I was returning late from lunch, flustered by the foot traffic in the city, when I barged into my office only to see someone standing there, staring up at the pictures on the wall. I nearly dropped my bags when he turned to me, and flashed me a small smile.

"Heero…" I said quietly, feeling the blood rush away from my head, making me feel faint. He was dressed in jeans and the brown Preventer jacket, a black button up tucked in to his jeans. His hair was ever the same, and he was clean shaven. And those eyes…

"Hello Relena," he said, taking a step to turn towards me. I took a deep breath to steady myself, then finished crossing my office to drop my bags down on my desk. He turned to remain facing me.

"That's not the outfit the former Director of Security traditionally wore," I said, rather awkwardly, trying to joke. At least he did me a favor and smiled.

"You know I hate suits," he said. I steadied myself by placing my palms flat on the desk, and forced myself to smile.

"I do," I replied. An awkward beat passed, and Heero stepped around my desk and reached his hands out.

"I wanted to come and say hello," he said, and I gave him my hands in greeting. He wrapped his around mine in a secure grip. "My first day was Monday, so I haven't had time until now to stop over." I barely heard him as he talked, because I was too focused on staring up into his blue eyes. No wonder some other girl had managed to steal her way into his heart. It was still just as easy to get lost in his eyes.

"I'm sure you've been very busy," I choked out. How had he managed to maintain that smile for so long?

"Hn…" he nodded. His grip remained firm on my hands, and it seemed he had no intention of letting go. Silence fell once again, and we stood staring at each other. Finally, I felt myself jerk forward as he released my hands and pulled me into a hug, his arms resting around my shoulders. My face was pressed against his shoulder. For a moment, I breathed deep, remembering his familiar scent, but feeling terribly guilty about it at the same time. I lifted my hands up to his back to return the hug.

"I've missed you," he breathed quietly. My heart leapt into my throat, and my heartbeat quickened. With my ear pressed against his jacket, I could hear his own heart racing. So at least I knew he was just as nervous and excited as I.

"I have missed you, too, Heero," I replied, in truth, as I pulled away from him to look back up. His arms dropped away from me, and he squared his shoulders.

"I know you are leaving on Monday," he said. I frowned.

"How did you-?" I cut myself off, seeing the grin spread over his lips. I placed my hands on my hips. "Heero, you shouldn't be hacking into my schedule. I'm not your charge," I said, almost adding "anymore" at the end.

"I'm the director of security," he said. "I am in charge of whoever will be your protection, which means I must know your schedule."

"And do you know all the other ESUN employees' schedules as well?" I asked, and he blushed. "I didn't think so," I said, giving him a playful punch on the arm.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask if you'd have dinner with me tomorrow night," Heero said, this time lightly brushing my arm with his fingers. I stared up at him, feeling awkward once again.

"Oh uh," I stammered, "I heard you have a girlfriend now." Heero's expression darkened slightly.

"Maxwell?" I nodded. "We're old friends, Relena," he said, stepping closer to me. "I can have dinner with old friends." I felt a little better, but the fact that he barely acknowledged the girlfriend was troubling. And I suppose, deep inside, I wished that we could go on a real date, like we used to back then. But that relationship was gone. We were, as he said, _old friends_.

"Sure, that's fine," I said. He smiled.

"I'll pick you up at 8." He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned and left the room, rather abruptly. I stared after him, feeling flustered and confused, but my stomach whirled with butterflies at the thought of dinner with him.

* * *

I woke the next morning feeling incredibly stupid. During my sleep, my brain must have finally had time to process the encounter with Heero, because upon waking up, I realized how foolish the idea of dinner with him was, and how my girlish affections had gotten way out of control. Just because he was back in the city didn't mean that I needed to start pining over him once again, like the silly school girl I once was. As I lay in bed, staring up at the canopy above, I mentally berated myself, and told myself to calm down and treat any relationship with Heero as a business relationship.

That mental pep talk, however, left me in a sour mood for most of the morning. I sat at my island counter, drinking a cup of tea and staring moodily out the window at the lovely day outside. My penthouse apartment was near the central part of the city, and it overlooked much of the surrounding area. I had a 360 degrees view of the city if I walked all the way around my apartment, which was entirely possible because of the whimsical round shape to the building, the window walls and the doorways that allowed just that sort of view.

I eventually shifted my sulking from the counter to the couch, where I stared at the television, allowing my mind to wander to other things. I knew I should be packing for my trip, but the motivation was not there. As I lay there, my phone vibrated on the glass coffee table. I reached out and pulled the phone to me, and saw that I had a new text message. Opening it, I was unsurprised to see a new number, but surprised by the text.

_It's Heero. Are you still at your parents' estate?_

I wondered how he got my cell phone number, but quickly realized he probably hacked the ESUN employee information. But how then, did he not know where I lived? I clicked "reply" and sent back:

_No. I live in an apartment in the city._

I added my address, then sent the message back. I was both hoping he'd respond and that he wouldn't respond. He remained silent after that.

When seven o'clock rolled around, I had begun to half-heartedly pack for my trip. Clothes and toiletries were scattered everywhere as I sorted through them. When I noticed the time, I panicked, needing to get ready for dinner with Heero, when I realized I had no idea where we were going. For all I knew, we could be going to a diner. I spent twenty precious minutes trying to decide what to wear, until I finally settled on a pink and yellow sundress with a pair of strappy heels. I chose a white cardigan as well, in case I needed to dress down. That left me with only a small amount of time for hair and make up.

Just as I was applying mascara, the bell to the apartment buzzed. I rushed out to the door of my room to the front door and pressed the talk button on the console beside the door.

"Hello?" I asked casually.

"It's Heero," he voice said clearly through the speaker. My heart fluttered.

"Be down in a minute," I replied, and rushed away from the console. I grabbed up my purse and phone, skidding across the smooth tile floor of my apartment. My nerves were running high as I left the apartment and stepped into the elevator to begin the 15 floor descent to the ground floor.

When the metal doors slid open, I saw Heero waiting for me in the lobby. He stood near the door, his hands laced behind his back. He was dressed all in black, from his shoes, to the dress pants, and the button up black shirt he wore. He turned to me and smiled when I stepped off the elevator.

"You look beautiful," he said, his voice low, as I approached his side.

"You look like Duo," I replied playfully, gesturing towards his all black outfit. He shrugged and smiled, then took my arm in his.

"I look better than Duo," Heero corrected as we made our way out the door to the street. I giggled, then rolled my eyes at myself, warning my mind to keep itself calm and collected instead of bursting like a piñata of glitter.

Heero had found a parking space at the front of the building, which was a surprise. He opened the passenger door for me, and I slipped inside. A distinct smell of perfume lingered in the car, a scent I would never have chosen. But as the smell drifted up my nose, my stomach tightened into a knot of nervousness. I knew that the subject was going to have to come up eventually, if only to quell my insane curiosity. I think I believed I was the only girl for Heero, despite our break-up, and could not imagine any other woman taking my place.

Heero climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. I glanced at him.

"I hope I'm dressed appropriately for whatever you have in mind," I said.

"It'll do," he replied, but with a smile. I threw him a look, but more startling was that he was joking around. Even after the way, when the wall around him began to break down, he only made dark jokes, and not very often at all. And always with that monotone voice. Now, he was lightly joking, never dropping his sarcastic tone of voice, but displaying that smile that was so important to the listener, to know for sure that he is joking. I stared at him for a long moment.

"You changed a lot while in Japan," I said. He gave me a sidelong glance.

"It would have happened no matter where I was," he replied. I understood his meaning, but I wondered at the truthfulness of that assertion.

"What made you choose Japan?" I asked, trying to keep my own tone light and conversational.

"Family heritage," he replied. "They also have a renowned security program at a university there." He glanced at me. "Employers tend to like that piece of paper saying you've gotten a degree."

"I wouldn't know," I said, shrugging my shoulders, and turning my gaze out the window. "No one has ever expected that from me. I have tried, though," I said, turning back to him, "to apply for college, but I am always held up by the President."

"Why?"

"He thinks it's a waste of time for me to quit my job to get a degree," I replied. "I only got my high school diploma because I took night classes for weeks. I was among dropouts, some who had children, can you imagine?"

"No. And I don't think I would have let you do that," Heero said rather seriously.

"Probably not," I replied. We fell silent, but Heero pulled the car around into a drive. I hadn't even been paying attention to where we were going. I looked out the window, and saw that we were parked in front of L'Archiduc, a famous restaurant and bar in Brussels. The ancient facade stuck out against the modern buildings which were pressed up against its sides.

"How on Earth did you get a table here?" I asked, whirling back to him. He grinned before climbing out of the car. A valet stepped up to my door and opened it for me, offering a hand. I left the cardigan behind.

"You're not the only one in this city with connections," Heero said mysteriously. I frowned slightly, but he took my arm and led up me up to the door.

Inside, the decor stayed true to the era during which the restaurant had accelerated into a legendary status. It was rather small on the inside, with intimate tables on the main floor, and a lounge area on the second floor. I must have been openly gazing, because Heero squeezed my arm.

"You're princess by birth and a former Queen. How is this glamourous?" he asked.

"I suppose I am impressed by the tenacity by which L'Archiduc managed to stay open and whole throughout wars and depressions," I said with a lofty voice. Heero chuckled quietly and laced his fingers through mine as he lead me up to the hostess.

I thought I was going to faint.

* * *

We had a fairly pleasant dinner with drinks, catching up on each other's lives. I noticed that Heero continually skirted the issue of this mystery girl, having dancing around my questions and only referenced another person through the use of vague pronouns. At one point, I felt like I was grilling him during an interview.

And because of that, I barely noticed that I had several glasses of wine during dinner. My fingers and toes began to buzz, and my vision grew slightly blurry. During a lull in the conversation, I blurted the only thing that had been bothering me through the entire evening:

"Tell me about this girl!"

A few people glanced at us, but quickly looked away. In my drunken state, I assumed it was probably because I was the FM, but it was more likely that Heero had stared them down until they turned.

He brought his eyes to mine, and sighed.

"I didn't want to have this conversation, Relena," he said.

"Why?" I demanded.

"Because I don't want to hurt you," he replied, his voice low. I felt as if I were struggling to hear him. I downed the rest of my wine in a very unflattering way, and motioned for the waiter to fill my glass again.

"You won't. Now tell me," I said, settling into my chair with my fingers around the stem of my wine glass. Heero sighed.

"I met her in college. We were in the same classes, and we share similar childhoods," he said quickly.

"Name?" I slurred.

"Miko."

I stared hard at him, willing him to continue, to give me more information. He stared back, unwavering.

"Relena…" he said after a few minutes. "You said I wouldn't hurt you…" He sounded genuinely sad.

"I'm not hurt. I just, selfishly I suppose, never thought you'd end up with another woman. But you are entitled to," I said, then took another sip of my wine. He frowned.

"That's what women say when they're mad," Heero said, eyeing me. I shook my head and spread my hands out.

"It just brings us back to the original problem, Heero. I'm too busy for a relationship. Otherwise, I may have moved on and dated, or something…" I trailed off, blinking hard to clear the fog from both my brain and my eyes. "Your life is different, and it is perfectly normal for someone to move on and find another who complements them."

I could tell from his expression that he wasn't buying anything I said. I supposed he shouldn't since I was pretty sure I was drunk.

"We should probably go soon," I said. "I can hardly see straight." He nodded and raised his hand to the waiter. Heero paid the check, which would have surprised me otherwise, then led me by the arm out to the car, where the valet had it waiting. I plopped down in the passenger seat and rested my head against the side of the car. Through blurry vision, I could see the time was well past 11 at night.

Heero climbed inside the car, and we drove away, sitting silently. When we were almost back to my apartment, Heero's phone rang. He answered it after glancing at me, and I could hear a woman speaking on the other line. Heero only gave her mumbled replies, which reminded me of the days when I used to call him, and receive similar answers.

I began to think Heero had magic powers when he got another parking spot at the front of my building. Instead of just seeing me off, he turned off his car, walked around the other side and helped me out. I was unsteady on my feet, more than I thought, so I was grateful for the extra support. He held me around the waist as we walked into the building.

Inside, I turned towards him.

"Thank you for dinner. It was lovely," I said, pulling away from him and holding my hands together in front of me. I swayed a bit.

"Let me help you up to your apartment," he said with concern filled eyes. I nodded, and turned towards the elevator. I used my key to bring the elevator to the ground floor, and while we waited, Heero stepped up to my side and took my elbow. Up the elevator, up 15 floors, we stopped on my floor and exited the elevator. I kept waiting for when Heero would say good bye and leave, but he followed me to my door, and stepped inside my apartment when I opened the door.

I set my keys and purse on the counter and turned towards him. My foot slipped, and I started to fall, but quick as ever, Heero caught me and swept me up into his arms, as if I weighed nothing. He carried me to the couch and gently set me down, then sat down beside me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, my face hot with embarrassment. But he smiled, one that reached all the way to his eyes.

_Believe in me, Relena_.

I blinked away the memory.

"About Miko…" he began to say, but I shook my head.

"Don't make me repeat myself," I said, giving him a significant look. He shook his head.

"No, let me say what I have to say," he said. I shrugged my shoulders and softened my gaze. "She did help me, a lot, while I was in Japan. It was nothing that you couldn't have done, but she was there and willing to help me become who I am now. I am… indebted to her. I helped her get a job at the Preventers as well, so she lives in the city," Heero said.

"With you?" I interrupted.

"No," he said. "Not with me. I plan on keeping her away from you." I frowned, and inside, my heart hurt. It almost felt like it was breaking all over again, no matter how nicely he spoke. And even though I completely understood what he was saying, I still wished I had been that person. It was probably the wine, but I felt my throat tighten and my eyes brimmed with tears. "Relena…" Heero said, as if he were in agony.

I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest, swiping at my cheeks with my hand.

"Sorry," I mumbled, averting my gaze away from him. I felt him shift on the couch, and he pulled me towards him, slipping me easily onto his lap, and he held me. I couldn't help it. The position too familiar, I leaned into his chest and allowed my tears to fall down my cheeks, soaking into his shirt. He held me, one hand twisted up in my hair, the other on my hip. His heart hammered against my temple.

My tears dried after a few minutes, and I was able to look up at him. The sadness I saw in his eyes broke my heart all over again. He moved his hand from my hip to my cheek, and pressed his palm against it. I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes. I wanted to soak him in, to hold onto his touch and remember it forever. It was undeniable, the feelings I felt for him. They were as strong as they ever were, maybe stronger.

I felt his lips press against mine. A flame awakened in my chest, and I opened my eyes slightly. His eyes were closed. Greedily, I lifted my hands to the back of his head and pressed him closer. I parted my lips and bit onto his lower lip. He responded by flicking my mouth with his tongue. We pressed each other closer, the kiss deepening, hands trailing down from the head to the back. There was no denying how right it felt.

But it had to end. Heero pulled away, his eyes downcast. I pressed my forehead against his. I could feel that he was feeling guilty, so I moved from his lap and back onto the couch. I expected him to apologize, to say it never should have happened, then disappear out the door, but he stayed where he was, staring off into space.

I laid a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to me. "Let me get used to the idea of you being with Miko, and I'm sure everything will be fine," I said, though I felt as if I were lying. Heero didn't need to know that. He smiled at my gratefully, but looked away again.

"I suppose."

He left soon after, giving me a hug and wishing me well on my trip. I watched him as he stepped into the elevator and disappeared from view.

* * *

_No Going Back_

Travel turned out to be just what I needed. I threw myself into work, with more focus than I've ever been able to garner before. My travels brought me to L2, where I was able to see Duo and Hilde for a few days. I ended up telling them the whole story about dinner with Heero, after a few glasses of wine, which left them feeling just as confused as I felt.

"He still cares about you, but he's 'indebted' to this other girl?" Duo asked, scrunching up his nose. I shrugged.

"It's complicated. We broke up. We weren't working out, so why should any of it matter?" I replied, twisting my glass back and forth in my hands.

"Because he kissed you," Hilde said. "The gloves are off, now." I stared at her. "Sports reference," she said, giving me a playful shove.

"The dumbass shouldn't have even gone up to your apartment," Duo complained.

"I agree with you," I said with a sigh. "Anyway," I added, flopping back into the cushions on the couch, "I'll just have to avoid him, I think, and just worry about my own life. That night proved that just being friends will be too difficult." Duo and Hilde nodded, both frowning.

"I should call him and yell at him," Duo declared, but I shook my head.

"Leave him alone. He's done nothing wrong," I said, though I knew inside that the kiss ruined any ability we'd be able to have of just being friends. Duo and Hilde eventually agreed with me, but it took much more wine and much more convincing before they'd agree. It's a good thing I am quite good at persuasion.

* * *

My trip lasted three weeks, where I spent most of the time colony hopping and meeting with various officials and politicians in the colonies. But I returned happily to my home in Brussels. I dropped all my luggage on the floor and spent several hours just lying around, relaxing. I should have booked time off to recover from the trip, but instead, I was due to return to the office the following day.

When I stepped into my office, it was with renewed confidence. Just because he worked across the street from me, didn't mean that our lives had to intersect. I was determined to fix my work-life balance and include more fun activities into my daily life than I had before. I even drank a cup of coffee that morning.

And naturally, as most things happen, my confidence was shattered.

I was leaving my office to attend a meeting when I heard voices down the hall from me. I glanced back to see a group of people standing around the defense minister's office, all in Preventer garb. Heero was among them, speaking to the group.

_What the hell is he doing?_

I turned away and walked in the opposite direction, holding my notebooks and tablet against my chest, and with a lowered head to hide myself. It didn't work.

"There's Minister Darlian!" a girl's voice said behind me. The group behind me began twittering, and I heard Heero shush them, but to no avail. As I walked, I heard running footsteps behind me, and a short girl with long dark hair skidded to a stop in front me of, looking up at me with large, dark eyes. She looked young, perhaps 3 or 4 years younger than myself.

"Minister Darlian! I've always wanted to meet you!" she said, holding out a hand to shake. I gave her a smile, shifted my belongings and grasped her hand for a moment. Heero stepped around me, and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Leave the Minister be, Miko," he said, looking down at the girl. My stomach dropped.

"Oh Heero, you know I've always wanted to meet her!" she said, scowling at Heero. I lifted an eyebrow and glanced at Heero. I'd never seen a more guilty look on his face.

"Minister Darlian is busy. Go back to the group," Heero said, his voice low and firm. Miko scowled again, bowed to me, and disappeared back to the group of Preventers. I lifted my eyes back to Heero's.

"Really, Heero?" I asked in a harsh whisper.

"Relena, I'm sorry…" he said back, but I swept past him down the hall. I was near shaking with rage. Why would he bring her to my building, and worst of all, to within meters of my office? When I stormed into the conference room, several of my colleagues flinched, giving me strange glances.

"Something the matter, Relena?" one asked. I flapped my hand dismissively, trying to squash my anger.

"Got held up by some rookie Preventer agents," I replied, hating the way my voice sounded when I said it. But it did the trick. Attention was diverted from me to a discussion about various annoying habits of rookie Preventers. I took my seat and prepared for the meeting.

I wasn't surprised when, after my meeting and a lunch date with my VFM, I returned to my office to find Heero had once again invaded.

"So that was her?" I asked, brushing past him to my desk. He turned, his arms spread out.

"I told her to stay quiet," he replied. I threw him a skeptical look and sat down at my desk. Heero sat down in one of the chairs opposite me.

"And why was it that she wanted to meet me so badly?" I asked, lacing my fingers together and resting my chin on them. I stared at Heero, waiting for his response. The expression on his face looked like he was desperately searching for an answer. "Look, if you have to lie, then don't bother."

"It's not that," he responded immediately. Heero spread his hands out, as if appealing to me. "You're an icon for many young women," he said. I closed my eyes, trying to not laugh at him. I knew what he said to be true, but it sounded so ridiculous coming from him. "And I may have told her a lot about you."

I opened my eyes and stared at him. He wouldn't make eye contact with me, so I turned away in my chair.

"Please excuse yourself from my office," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "We have nothing further to discuss." I remained facing my window, looking over the streets below, until I heard my office door open, then close again. I released a long breath and hung my head for a moment. Part of me wanted to feel bad for myself, to wallow in self-pity, but the other part, the stronger part, refused. So I lifted my head up, turned back around to my desk and got back to work.

* * *

_Sweltering Heat_

July descended onto Brussels, bringing with it outrageously hot weather. The temperatures climbed quickly, pushing into 37⁰C, and showed no signs of stopping. No one in the area was prepared for such a summer, which brought about rampant droughts through Belgium and the surrounding territories.

It was about that time that I decided I needed a vacation.

After our last awkward encounter, Heero and I had kept our distance. I didn't see him in the ESUN building again after that day, which meant that he was probably avoiding me. I also didn't see that little imp Miko. Whatever her Preventer assignment was, I hoped that it would remain as far away from me as possible. I knew that I shouldn't harbor bad thoughts about her, but I honestly could not help it. And even after many rants to my girlfriends about her, I still felt a ridiculous about of anger towards the girl. I needed to take my mind off everything, and to get away from Brussels.

I cleared my time off, pushed off all my meetings and presentations, and booked a hotel room in Ostend, Belgium, at the Andromeda Hotel, with a picture perfect view from a balcony overlooking the North Sea. I told my regular driver to take the next three weeks off, and away I spirited, taking my luggage and a sporty rental car.

* * *

-SE


	2. Act 2

**Bruises: A Love Story in Three Acts**

**Act 2**

**by Scarlet Eve**

* * *

_These bruises make for better conversation_

_Loses the vibe that separates_

_It's good to let you in again_

_You're not alone in how you've been _

_Everybody loses_

_We've all got bruises_

* * *

_Freedom_

Ostend was understandably busy. Traffic was slowed to crawl as all the incoming visitors made their way down the narrow streets, looking for hotels or rental apartments. The heat was sending everyone to the shore, to try and find some relief from the unusually baking sun. I waited in a vehicular line outside of the hotel for a while, until finally a valet approached to take my keys. He assisted me with loading my luggage onto a cart, and a moment later, a bellhop arrived to push the cart into the hotel. I tipped both, keeping my sunhat low and sunglasses perched on my nose. The two hotel employees didn't even give me a second glance, which suited me perfectly.

After checking in, I hauled my luggage up to my room, which was situated on the top floor. I splurged on one of the nicer suites, justifying it heavily in my mind, though it was hardly necessary to do so. Still, when I entered the room and saw the luxurious decorations and furniture, I grinned like a child, tossed my luggage to the ground and made a running jump onto the large, king size bed. I closed my eyes in a near bliss state as I sank into the soft mattress and comforter.

* * *

I ended up falling asleep there, and by the time I woke up, the sun was sinking lower into the sky, and my stomach was rumbling unpleasantly. I hadn't eaten breakfast and it was already dinner time, so I changed out of my traveling clothes, chose a simple sundress and cardigan, and left the room in search of something to eat.

As I walked, I found it difficult not to get lost in the beautiful architecture of Ostend. I was looking up more than I was looking where I was going, and had to apologize several times for running into other pedestrians. Thankfully, I spotted a small cafe, and quickly pushed my way through the crowds until I arrived at their hostess stand. She seated me outside under the awning, and the waitress brought me a glass of water with frozen fruit and a menu.

Dinner consisted of sampling a few of the dishes on the menu, being that I had never tried them before. I particularly enjoyed the fresh seafood. Shadows were appearing everywhere as the sun sank sank behind the horizon. After paying my bill, I headed in the direction of the ocean, to watch the sun set. The large orange orb was already partially beyond the horizon, but the few wisps of clouds reflected back red, orange, and pink light. The water shone like a piece of beautiful fabric encrusted with jewels. The atmosphere at the beach was especially subdued, as most were relaxing while they watched the sun go down.

I crossed my arms over my abdomen and lowered my glasses slightly, as to not miss the beautiful color display. I let my mind wander, and naturally, it went to the places I really didn't care to go. A scene played out in my mind, one where Heero and the imp were watching the sun set on this very beach, holding hands and kissing.

I couldn't suppress the unladylike look of disgust that passed my face. Luckily, no one was looking at me. I rolled my eyes and turned away. I had gone and spoiled the mood for myself. Besides, that devilishly comfortable bed was calling to me.

* * *

_Iron Will_

I felt better than I had in years. I suppose that's what came with getting an appropriate amount of rest and eating three meals a day at regular times. And not drinking so much coffee and tea to compensate for the lack of sleep. I was alert and clear-minded without the extra stimulants. I'd found a small restaurant nearby, which had become my go-to place, and I had picked out a small place on the beach, where I could take my towel and my book, and waste the day away. I began to wish I never had to go back.

But my real life creeped its way into my day, one afternoon while I was having a light lunch. Inside my bag, my phone began to ring. I had turned it off for most of the time that I'd been gone, but I was expecting some communication from Mars, and I wanted to see the email right away.

But the number on the caller ID wasn't one I had stored. Grimacing, trying to decide between answering and letting it go to voicemail, I finally made a choice and pressed the button to answer.

"Hello?"

"Relena?!" The voice was low and frantic. "It's Heero." I frowned.

"Can I assist you with something?" I asked, keeping my tone annoyingly business-like.

"Where are you?" he demanded.

"On vacation," I replied. Already, this conversation was grating my nerves.

"You have to come back," Heero said. I blinked.

"Why?"

"It's not safe for you to be out on your own!" I could barely believe this conversation was happening. I pressed a hand over my eyes and leaned back in my chair.

"I informed the proper personnel that I would be gone. No one seemed to have a problem with it." I left out the part where I lied and said someone was coming with me.

"Impossible."

"Did you really just find out I was gone?" I asked. He was silent for a moment, having must not have expected the question.

"Seems there are communication gaps in the chain of command," he replied starkly. I laughed. I couldn't help it. "This isn't a laughing matter, Relena."

I sighed. "I wish you wouldn't condescend me, Heero. I was fine while you were gone, and I'll continue to be fine with you living in Brussels. Please, just let me move on."

I wanted to hang up without hearing his response, but I felt it would have been too juvenile. So I waited. There was a long silence before he finally spoke.

"Please reconsider your vacation." The line went dead. I gaped for a moment, surprised that it was Heero that hung up first. But he didn't agree to my request; he simply reiterated his original concern in a slightly politer way. I flipped my phone onto the table and dropped my chin into my hand.

"Men," I mumbled under my breath.

"Minister Darlian?"

I looked up, but the glare from the sun got in my eyes, and all I saw was white for a moment. I blinked.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked, trying to clear my eyes of sunspots.

"Lee Gallagher, vice minister of war crimes. From the sixth floor," as he spoke, his voice became slightly more familiar, and he stepped around to the side of the table. I looked up, my vision clear now, and I saw the tall, strawberry blonde man standing near me, his light blue eyes smiling. Finally, I recognized him.

"Ah yes! Vice Minister Gallagher!" I replied, standing up from the chair, almost forgetting my manners. We shook hands, and I gestured for him to take a seat at the table with me. He sat, and I did, too.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, leaning forward onto his elbows. I saw he had a bit of facial hair, a mixture of red and blonde, which was something he rarely had at the office.

"Just taking some time off," I said, smiling.

"Are you sure the ESUN can function without you?" he asked, his voice joking. I laughed and shrugged my shoulders.

"They'll have to, I guess. What about you?"

"Ah, same. I had to come out here for some research and interviews, so I figured I'd take a few days off. Brussels is just about unbearable now," Lee said. "The heat, ya know." I nodded. "At least the ocean brings a breeze. Brussels is just stale, drying out like a grape in the sun."

"Glad I got away from there," I said. It wasn't surprising though, considering the city's distance from the ocean in all directions.

"The department of agriculture is working double overtime it seems like. There's always someone in the office. They look like they haven't even slept," Lee went on. "Crops are drying up, and so are rivers and ponds."

I bit my lip. "That bad?"

"No record have been broken yet, but they might. But we'll make it through. The Earth has always persevered before," he added. Though I heard that statement a million times, coming from him, it felt more like a promise than just an arbitrary statement. "Enough about work. What have you been doing out here, Minister?"

"Please, call me Relena," I said, extending my hand. "If we're both on vacation, there's no need for formalities." Lee nodded, a most particularly dazzling smile on his face.

We fell into easy conversation about some of the most popular sites in Ostend, and we ended up talking our way through to dinner. Our waitress changed to a waiter, and we ordered dinner, a selection of our favorites, and shared bites off each others plates. It was strange, something new to be sure. With Heero, we'd never done such as thing.

I closed my eyes mid-conversation, when Heero's face appeared in my mind.

"Are you alright, Relena?" Lee asked, his voice worried. I nodded, passed my hand over my face and smiled back at him.

"Sorry, just sort of zoned out for a moment," I said, covering it with a small laugh. Lee continued to look at me with concern.

"Probably because you are so busy and stressed out all the time. I've seen you walk through the hallways," Lee said, and slowly, his face transformed back into that carefree, open expression - one I had noticed before but never really appreciated.

When the check came, Lee snatched it up and pulled his wallet from the pocket of his jeans.

"You don't have to do that," I said, reaching, but he pulled the check away, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Let me." I let it go and thanked him quietly. "Can I tell you a secret?" he asked, after the waiter had taken his credit card away.

"Sure."

"I've wanted to ask you out for a while now, I just never worked up the courage," Lee said. I blinked at him, surprised. A fluttering erupted in my stomach, and I felt a little dizzy.

"Really?" I asked, pressing a palm to my stomach, willing the butterflies to calm back down. "Why would you need courage to ask me out?" I blurted, and instantly regretted it. I pressed my hand over my mouth. Lee smiled.

"Little ol' me, trying to ask about the most well known politician on Earth and in the Colonies? Princess of the Sanq Kingdom and former Queen of the World? Please, Relena," Lee said. "Every guy is intimidated by that."

His honesty took me aback. I stared at him for a moment, my mind working quickly on this idea that I had never considered. Slowly, pieces began to fall into place in my mind. Things I'd only given a moment's thought, right as I fell asleep, or sat eating breakfast alone on the weekends.

Why I'd spent the last three years… single.

"Is that true?" I asked him, and Lee gave a curt nod. I dropped my chin into my hands. "It all makes sense! Oh goodness, I'd never thought about that." Lee arched an eyebrow at me. "I sort of… I was starting to think there was something wrong with me. I didn't know I was intimidating." I could feel the words falling from my mouth in a whine, but the realization had hit so hard that I couldn't stop it.

Lee was looking at me with something like pity. He reached out and took my hand between his palms. "Of course you didn't. It just happened."

"I always wanted to just be… normal," I confided. Lee gave my hand a squeeze.

"You are too special to be normal. But I'll ask you now. Relena, would you like to go on a date with me?" His Irish green eyes stared into mine, and I felt I might swoon.

And so I said the stupidest thing.

"Didn't we just have a date?" I caught my breath, and exhaled, rolling my eyes at myself. Lee chuckled.

"We'll call it a pre-date. Come on," he said, rising from the table, my hand still held in his. "I have a few ideas."

* * *

_For the Love of the Irish_

Lee lead me through the streets of Ostend, and the entire time, I was mentally berating myself for being so silly. Having dated, or been with, or whatever my relationship with Heero was, had not prepared me for real life dating, and real life men. Men whose childhoods were not torn asunder by war, death, and fighting. But the most amazing thing was how Lee just let my awkwardness pass by without a second glance. As we walked, a caught glimpses of him through my peripheral vision, his sunny expression never wavering. He was so… different. There was no hint of brooding in his eyes, no shadows of a scowl on his face, and the crowds swarming around us gave him no sense of uneasiness. Lee walked as if we were the only two people on the road.

It was refreshing.

After walking together for quite a while, we emerged from a ring of buildings and found ourselves on the promenade pier, which overlooked the ocean. Sailboats bobbed up and down in the waves, and children were still splashing in the water, despite the sun beginning to set in the horizon. From where we stood, we had a perfect view of the sunset, which would sink behind the ocean's horizon.

"This is perfect," I breathed. Lee smiled and took my hand loosely in his own, and guided me towards the beach. We sat down on the curb, where we could kick off our shoes and dig our toes into the sand. A warm breeze blew off the ocean, fluttering our hair and clothing as we sat.

Lee began to ask about myself, my life, my likes and dislikes, my goals… and I chatted on happily for some undetermined amount of time, before I caught myself mid sentence and realized I hadn't even ask him questions in return. I clapped my hand over my mouth.

"I'm sorry!" I blurted. Lee raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"I've just been blabbing on and on…" I said, twisting my hands around in my lap nervously. "So rude of me." Lee shook his head, giving me a dashing, half-lidded smile.

"I was enjoying listening to you," he replied.

"But I didn't even ask about you-" He cut me off with a wave of his hand.

"Ahh, we have plenty of time for you to learn about my uninteresting life," he said, grinning. I pursed my lips in a mock pout.

"I'm sure that's not true." Lee laughed, turning his face away from mine and into the sinking rays of the sun.

"Oh Relena… you are trying to be too polite, almost like you're afraid to just be yourself," Lee said, but in such a way that he sounded more amused than accusatory. I stared back at him, my eyes wide, but my mind working at hyper speed, trying to analyse his words. Was I really too afraid to by myself?

Did I have a "self?"

Why was every moment, every conversation with Lee making me feel like my entire being was unraveling right before my eyes?

I turned away and pressed a hand to my forehead. The sun had begun its descent now, and the crowds around us were stopping to watch the beautiful display of colors. I felt Lee's hand rest on my shoulder.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked. I shook my head no, and glanced over at him, a sad smile on my lips.

"You are, Mister Gallagher, making me feel completely different about myself," I said. My heart was thumping unpleasantly in my chest while butterflies knocked around in my stomach.

"In a good way or a bad way?" he asked.

"I don't know yet," I said. Lee gave me a half smile, then took my hand, lifted it to his lips and pressed a kiss to my fingers.

"I can see _you_ behind your eyes, Relena. Your true self is fighting to be free." His irritating accuracy of my inner mind was on point once again. I sighed, and he lowered my hand to his knee, where he kept one hand over mine.

"You didn't work for the ESUN when I was in my last… relationship… or whatever one might call it. He is a former soldier, and everyone said we were 'star crossed lovers.' That wasn't true, of course. But because of him, his personality, his journey to learn what a peaceful life could be like, forced me to keep many things silent, to keep many emotions and thoughts to myself. Because at the time, they weren't as important as him learning to be a regular human," I explained. Lee was frowning.

"That's not right," he said quietly. "You should always be your beautiful self." He reached up and brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear. I was blushing furiously by now; I could feel the heat burning on my cheeks and chest.

I glanced away from him, and I saw that the sun was already most of the way behind the horizon. I missed most of the sunset. Lee must have picked up on my thoughts, because he gave my hand a squeeze.

"There will be other sunsets. Come on, the night is young," he said, pulling my up to my feet. We slipped our shoes back on, and he lead me through the streets once more, my heart feeling a little lighter, but the uncertainties I felt before lingered in the back of my mind.

Lee brought me to a cocktail bar called Hemingway. We were seated outside on the patio, on a comfortable leather couch that looked out over the ocean, which by now had gone mostly dark, save for the swinging lights on the sailboats. Small fire pits stood in circles made by chairs and couches. Though the sun had gone, the breeze was still warm, made hotter still by the fire pits, and perhaps even more so by the present company. With cocktails in hand, Lee was openly flirting with me now, and in an effort to make up for my prior awkwardness, I tried to relax and just follow his lead.

Lee was talking now, telling me about his childhood in Ireland, and how he'd spent the war helping his mother, who was a nurse. They'd refrained from choosing sides, and helped anyone who needed medical attention. He told me about his education at a university, where he floated between law and history courses. Through luck and connections made during the war, he was brought into the ESUN after graduation as the VM of War Crimes.

"Thanks to you, Relena," he said. "Young ministers are no longer unheard of." I grinned and nodded slowly.

"You should have seen the people I dealt with before the war was over," I said. "Old men stuck in their old ways."

"I'm sure that was pleasant," Lee laughed, and I joined.

"Sometimes, I thought I should replace my high heels with combat boots, just to show them I was serious," I said, causing Lee to laugh even harder. "I even considered weekend hunting with them, just to get them to trust me, but thankfully, my dear friend Dorothy talked me out of that one."

"I can't even picture that," Lee said, his cheeks red with laughter. He tried to press his lips together to stop the laughter, but he kept breaking out into a smile.

* * *

I rolled over in bed, my hand fumbling for the chirping alarm clock. I moaned and pulled the blankets up over my head, trying to block out the pesky sunlight coming from the windows. My head was throbbing from the cocktails the night before. I hadn't really planned on staying out _that_ late or having _that_ many drinks. But the conversation and music had lured me into a happy state, and drink after drink ended up in my hands. I couldn't quite remember how I'd gotten back to the hotel, but I had a vague memory lurking in the muddled darkness of my mind that Lee had walked me back.

With my face pressed into the pillow, I realized I had no idea where he was staying, or any way to contact him.

I must had fallen back asleep pretty quickly, because the ringing of my phone a while later wrenched me from dreamless sleep. I peeked out of the blankets, and saw my phone on the edge of the bed, still plugged into the charger. I reached out and answered the phone without bothering to check who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Good morning Sunshine!"

I groaned and pushed my face further into the pillow.

"Good morning Lee," I said. "Did I give you my number last night?"

"Yes, you insisted, actually," he said with a bit of a laugh. "How are you feeling?"

"Not great," I replied, and he chuckled again. "How are you so chipper this morning?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that heavy drinking is a hobby of mine, but if you ever met my friends, you'd understand," Lee replied. I snorted.

"Then you'll probably get along with my friend Duo," I said. "That is his unabashed hobby."

"Sounds like my kind of guy," Lee said. "Do you want to get lunch?"

"Is it already lunch time?" I asked, peering out from under my blankets at the alarm clock I ignored earlier. Sure enough, it showed the time as well after noon. I groaned again.

"Yes it is. Or would you rather have room service? Then you don't have to get out of bed," he suggested, and the thought sounded pleasant. I opened my mouth to agree, but stopped. Was I really ready to have him up in my hotel room while I was clearly vulnerable with a hangover?

Screw it.

"That sounds great," I said.

"I'll be over soon," he said, and we said goodbye. I hung up the phone and set it aside on the bed. Glancing down, I saw I was wearing a nightgown - one not appropriate for such a new relationship. I crawled from the bed and stood up. My clothes were put away in the dresser, so I rummaged around until I found a loose t-shirt and some comfortable shorts. I changed quickly, ignored my reflection in the mirror, and collapsed back on the bed, my arm flung over my eyes.

Just as I was drifting off, my phone began to ring again. With a _very_ unladylike groan, I rolled over to answer the phone.

"Forget something?" I asked as soon as I answered.

"What?"

It wasn't Lee's voice on the other end of the line.

"Heero?" I asked, sitting up in bed. "Why are you calling again?" I was frowning deeply by now.

"I wanted to try and convince you to come home again. You shouldn't be out there alone," he said. His voice was low and gruff, the familiar tone of voice of worry and concern.

"I'm not alone," I blurted out. After the words left my mouth, I closed my eyes. Now I would have to explain.

"What are you talking about?"

"I met a co-worker out here," I said, trying to draw in strength to stand up to his persistent nosiness.

"Which one?"

"Not important. Look Heero, you have a lot of people to be concerned about. I am the least of your worries," I said. The was a pause on the line. While I waited for him to speak, there was a knock at my door. I crossed the room in a hurry and pulled the door open, revealing Lee standing on the other side, smiling. He smile faded instantly, after seeing the look on my face, I suppose. He gave me a concerned look, and I shook my head.

"I can't do that, Relena," Heero finally said on the other side of the line. A low growl emitted from my throat, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rising, like I was some kind of cat, ready to pounce.

"You can and will," I said sternly. "Good bye, Heero." I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bed. I took a deep breath and let it out in a short huff, my shoulders sagging.

"What was that about?" Lee asked, moving to stand behind me, his hands resting on my shoulders. I sighed and turned around to face him.

"Uh work problems, I guess? Or maybe ex-boyfriends problems? Both," I said. I took this moment to really look at Lee now, to give him my full attention. He was wearing a pair of bright yellow swim trunks and a button up, short sleeve shirt, which had a ridiculous Hawaiian print on it. His red-blonde hair was a tangled mess, and somehow endearing.

"Heero. Isn't that the name of the new Director of Security at the Preventers?" Lee asked, his head tilted. I nodded, looking away. "You dated the director of security?"

"Well, he wasn't in that position at the time," I replied, trying to turn away, but Lee hands on my arms kept me from curling into a defensive pose. I glanced up at his eyes, which seemed to want more answers. Part of my mind knew that it wasn't really any of his business, but I suppose if Lee was a friend…

"We broke up three years ago. He only recently returned to Brussels after being in Japan," I said quickly.

"You didn't get back together?"

"He's uh… got a girlfriend, or something…" I said. I couldn't read Lee's facial expression at that moment, though I tried very hard. Eventually, he shrugged.

"His loss. Just forgot about it, and let's eat!" Lee said. He picked up the room service menu and sat down on the bed, and I sat beside him. I was beginning to feel very envious of his ability to brush off problems, to leave mole holes as mole holes, and continue life. I suppose, after all, the world _does_ keep spinning, no matter what happens to us.

We ordered more food than we could possibly eat ourselves, and while we waited, we talked more, but this time, about nonsensical topics, which I found very relaxing. His ability to brush off the Heero issue was amazing, and I relished in his carefree nature. It had been so long since I allowed myself to feel that way.

When the food arrived, we dragged the entire cart onto the balcony and sat in the chairs and ate until we were completely stuffed. The sun was high and warm again today, and beaches were teaming with children and parents, university students, and teenagers. Sailboats were bobbing among the waves again today, their brightly colored sails poking up through the blend of the sky with the ocean. The warm, salty wind blew gently over the area, coating my hair and causing it to sit against my back in wavy clumps. I guessed that my hair must now resemble the coveted "beach waves" that so many magazines for women talk about.

While staring off into the distance, I felt Lee's fingers grasp for mine, and our hands were entwined, not speaking, but enjoying the silence and the crowds.

* * *

_Just a Kiss_

One night, Lee took me to a beautiful restaurant, this time, away from the beach. It wasn't a newer area of the city, but it was a more recent hang out for twenty-somethings, with bars, nightclubs and coffee shops. I wore my standard 'little black dress' that night, which I had brought along for that just-in-case situation, and a pair of black pumps. I blended right in with the crowd, while Lee didn't have to try too hard. Jeans and a t-shirt seemed to be the men's dress code.

The restaurant reminded me a bit of being in space, or at least what space seemed like before I made my first journey there. Sparkling lights like stars, and swirling gauze and multi-colored lights that looked like floating galaxies. Lee snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Helloo?" he said, and for a dazed moment, I almost thought I was sitting across from Duo. I shook my head and smiled at him.

"Sorry, just admiring."

Lee stared at me, an eyebrow arched. I stuck my tongue out at him. "Don't look at me like that," I said, laughing a bit. He exaggerated his look even more, and I shook my head. "People are going to think you're crazy." He shrugged.

"Let them," he replied.

Later, after dinner, we moved to a smaller table near the dance floor, where lights traced lines and arcs through the air and across the polished wood floor. A few couples were already dancing, along with a group of girls dancing together, one wearing a cheap tiara and a "Birthday Girl" sash. I had a martini in front of me; it was bright pink, and sitting inside was a green glow stick. Lee plucked it out.

"Hey!"

He licked it, and gave me a thoughtful look. "Hm, that girly drink isn't half bad."

"Don't put that back in my drink!" I cried, pushing his hand away as he tried to plunk it back in the glass. "It's got your grms all over it!" I threw him a playfully dirty look. I laughed a little, and started to turn away, but Lee reached across the table and caught my chin in one hand, leaned over the table and the drinks, and planted a kiss right on my lips. He tasted like beer and midnight.

When he sat back down, he was grinning. I stared at him, stunned, until he said, "Now you've got my germs on your mouth." My mouth fell open slightly, and I knew he didn't truly understand the enormous amount of surprise I was feeling. I was twenty-three years old and had just had my _second _first kiss of my life.

Lee set the glow stick down on the table and leaned forward, his arms across over the table in front of him. He was looking at me like he wanted me to say something. Nothing romantic, sweet, or flirtatious came to mind. I ended up blabbing, "I still don't like the taste of beer."

Lee closed his eyes and laughed, leaning back in the chair. I was blushing once again, wishing I could think on my feet better in these relaxed, social situations. I'd never really had a problem before, coming up with all my usual responses and practiced conversation topics, but somehow I knew that Lee would see straight through that ruse, and he's tease me for it. And now, my efforts to stay on my toes with him were failing miserably.

He rose after a moment and offered me his hand. "Let's dance, Relena." I allowed him to lead me to the polished wood floor, and he wrapped his one hand around my waist while the other caught my hand. I rested my hand against the crook of his neck, and we stepped into the rhythm of the song.

"Is this the first time you've gone out in this kind of situation?" Lee asked, his face falling in and out of colored lights and shadows.

"Somewhat. All other previous experiences have been in the company of my close friends," I replied, thinking about times with Duo and Hilde, and the others. Lee nodded.

"Makes sense. And were you just as awkward when you met them?" he teased, that irritatingly adorable grin on his face. I scowled.

"There wasn't time to be awkward," I said. He placated me with a look of sympathy.

"That's true, I suppose," he said. "And after the war, well, you've probably always been good with politicians and bureaucrats." I nodded.

"And you, though you are a politician, hardly act like those I'm used to. Hence my obvious awkwardness," I said, getting ahead of where the conversation was going.

"Sorry about that," Lee said, and for once, he wasn't joking around.

"Don't apologize. I've learned a lot being around you these past couple of days," I said. "A lot about myself mostly."

"Personal growth is always good," Lee replied. I nodded, but had nothing else to add. We danced in silence for a while, listening to the music around us. Eventually, a slower song began to play, and Lee pulled me closer, released my hand and wrapped both arms around my waist. I placed both hands on the back of his neck, where a tantalizing little curl of hair beckoned to be toyed with. I wrapped the curl around my finger. Our heads tilted towards the other at the temple, and for a while, we spun in slow circles, feel the other's heartbeat.

* * *

I certainly hadn't ever given much thought to making love with someone else in my life, but the moment had seemed right. After drinks at the restaurant, we walked home together, our fingers entwined, and allowed the slightly cooler night air to blow away the intoxication we both felt. By the time we arrived at my hotel room, we were more sober than tipsy, and I invited him to my room. Before we could get through the door, our lips were locked together, hands roaming. We nearly fell into my room, and once the door was closed and locked, Lee swept me into his arms, carried me across the room, and we tumbled into the bed.

And unlike Heero and I, both inexperienced, Lee was practiced, his hands and mouth doing things that left me gasping for air all night. The whole night would remain in my memory in a haze of pleasure and bliss. Even waking up the next morning with his head beside mine on the bed, I could only smile and roll onto my stomach, leaned over him, and kissed him on the lips.

His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled.

"You snore, Minister Darlian," he said. I mocked an appalled look.

"A lady doesn't snore," I said. He laughed, wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest.

"Then you are no lady." His hands grazed the ticklish parts of my body that he'd discovered the night before, and soon had me trashing around the bed, laughing uncontrollably.

After falling asleep once more, and waking back up to the afternoon sun blaring into the hotel room, Lee announced that he had to go; the Minister of War Crimes called and needed him to follow up with a lead in town. Reluctantly, he kissed my face several times, and dragged himself away. I was sad to see him go, but I knew I'd see him later, and plus, I could use a little "me time."

I ordered up a bottle of wine, even though it was before noon, and sunk deep into a bubble bath. After two glasses and a few minutes of dozing, my phone rang. I reached out, dried my hand, and answered.

"Princess!" It was Duo.

"Hi Duo," I said. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I was just calling to see if you'd read the tabloids at all recently."

"You know I don't read that trash," I replied.

"Well," he said with a chuckle, "you might want to pick one up. You've been causing quite a stir." I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to give you a "Heero lecture," but you might have been a little too carefree there on your vacation. Your face is plastered on the tabloids, and some of the newspapers are starting to pick up on the story."

"What story?"

"About your new romance with VM of War Crimes, Lee Gallagher," Duo said, but his voice was shaking with laughter.

"Oh lord," I replied, pressing one bubble soaked hand to my face.

"Yeah, I would say this is the result of lax security, princess. But! I am not Heero. Good for you, babe. I'm glad you met another man."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"How's all that going? From the pictures, it looks like its going well," Duo said.

"It is, actually," I replied, feeling a little better. Duo was right; he wasn't Heero, who would still be lecturing me, if he knew. "He's sweet and fun, and very different from a… previous boyfriend. I think you'd like Lee."

"Really? That's awesome!" he said. I chuckled.

"Yes. Well, you've ruined my bath, so I guess I'll go check out these magazines," I said, already hoisting myself from the bathtub.

"Heh, sorry," Duo said.

"It's okay. Thanks Duo. I'll call you soon," I said. We said our goodbyes, and I began to dry off. Before dressing, I sent a text to Lee, informing him of this development. He didn't respond right away, but I knew he was busy.

I didn't have to go far for these tabloids. There was a small stand near the beach, at which I grabbed as many ones as I could and paid for them, and carried them with me to my cafe, where I had become a quick regular, along with Lee.

"Where is Mr. Lee this morning?" the waitress asked, setting a cup of tea down in front of me.

"He had some work to do," I said. She nodded, and picked up the menu from in front of me.

"The usual?" I nodded. She smiled and walked away. Once she was gone, I spread out the tabloids and began to flip through.

Duo was right. My face was on the cover of most, along with Lee. Headlines like '_FM's NEW BEAU!' _ and '_Has Relena Darlian found love at last?' _ I could imagine the looks on the faces of my brother and Noin, if they saw these. And another face cropped up as well.

Heero.

He would be very… upset.

I tried to ignore that nagging thought and continued to glance through the pictures. It was like watching a rerun of my life during the last two weeks. Us walking together down the beach, dancing at the clubs, drinking martinis together. There was a lovely one of our first kiss, his hand clutching mine, leaning way over the table to kiss me. I smiled slightly. If these weren't in tabloids, I'd love to have the pictures. I wondered if the companies would sell me the photos if I didn't complain about the articles.

I spent the afternoon wandering lazily around town. Lee's text message response simply contained "HAHAHA" in capital letters, which I suppose I should have expected. He was far too carefree to let stuff like that bother him. Besides, despite the pictures and the stories, I hadn't yet been approached by anyone trying to get a statement or a story out of me, so I decided to just follow his lead, and let it slide.

* * *

_Vacation's End_

My vacation went by faster than I would have liked. Lee and I became close, and as I understood, we would be seeing each other after our return to Brussels. I felt no anticipation or nervousness about this new arrangement, in fact, this sudden change in my routine was a welcoming thought.

And things would have ended perfectly, if it weren't for my past resurfacing, again.

Two days before the end of my vacation, Lee and I spent the day at the beach, waiting for the sunset. Lee's arm settled over my shoulders and I leaned into him. We were in our favorite spot on the pier, watching the sun sink behind the horizon. His one hand toyed with my hair, twirling it around his fingers, always in such a way that I felt sleepy and extremely relaxed. I exhaled slowly, just letting the entire scene embed itself in my memory, to keep it that way forever, in perfect bliss.

I glanced up at Lee, and he smiled. With his other hand, he cupped my chin and brought our lips together in a kiss, his hold on my shoulders tightening.

"Relena."

I jerked away, my head swiveling, searching for the voice. My eyes locked on a pair of Prussian blues, staring at me from a few feet away. Every function of my body felt as though it came to a grinding halt, my heart, my lungs, the blood in my veins. My mouth fell open slightly, and words failed to fill it.

"Relena…" It was Lee this time, his voice at my shoulder, whispering in my ear. But I was frozen, locked into place. A flood of thoughts crashed through my mind- _WHY is he here? What does he want? He saw me kissing Lee. Why is he not leaving me alone? What is his problem?_ - and on and on until I couldn't keep a single thing straight. _Was it the magazines?_

Heero took several steps forward, and beside me, I felt Lee rise to his own feet.

"Stay out of this, Mister Gallagher," Heero growled, his eyes narrow slits, directed at Lee, who stepped around me to block Heero's path.

"Your presence isn't needed here, Director Yuy," Lee said, his air of a diplomat surrounding him, the act he put on for his job and the ESUN. "I request you leave Minister Darlian in peace."

"Cut the shit," Heero threw back, completely unprofessionally. I finally blinked my eyes and shook my head slightly. "I'm taking Minister Darlian back tonight." With a heavy breath, I rose, steadying myself on my feet. Lee and Heero both looked at me.

"Heero…" I took a step forward. "look me in the eye right now and tell me there is a verified threat on my life here in Ostend." I locked my gaze with his, and refused to back down. I could see from the short distance between us that he knew I wasn't messing around. He broke contact and looked away. "That's what I thought." Beside me, I could feel Lee thrumming with anxiety and frustration. I rested a palm against his arm to sooth him.

"I took this job to look after you," Heero said. I closed my eyes, trying to push away the frustration mounting in my chest.

"You cannot take over an entire department of the Preventers to watch one person, Heero Yuy. What happened to your ability to think ahead seven steps? In what universe would that make sense?" I asked, unable to keep my voice from rising. Heero's face morphed into shame. "Like I already told you, I was fine the three years you were gone. You moved on, and I've moved on," I said, gesturing vaguely to Lee. "It's time to stop pretending that the war is still raging on around us. I'm no longer the ruler of a glass kingdom."

It hit home with intended results. His resolve disappeared, his shoulders hunched, and his eyes refused to look up.

"I understand."

Heero turned and began to walk through the crowds, pushing against the flow of foot traffic on the pier. I watched him go until he disappeared among the other bodies. Lee took my hand.

"Let's get out of here," he said. I looked up at him.

"Please, I just want to be alone." I took my hand away, kissed his cheek, and turned, hurrying through a stunned crowd, back to my hotel.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for all the support and reviews!

-SE


	3. Act 3

Bruises: A Love Story in Three Acts

Act 3

by Scarlet Eve

* * *

_I would love to fix it all for you_  
_I would love to fix you too_  
_Please don't fix a thing whatever you do_

_These bruises make for better conversation_  
_Loses the vibe that separates_  
_It's good to know you've got a friend_  
_That you remember now and then_  
_Everybody loses_

* * *

_August_

Lee was waiting for me outside of my office. After returning back to Brussels, it was a strange adjustment to see each other in our regular work clothes. He'd also trimmed his beard and tamed his hair. I smiled at him as I shifted my files to the other arm, leaned into him to receive a kiss on the lips. His hand slid to the small of my back and began to direct me away from the office.

"I'm starved. Today was insane."

"What happened?" I asked.

"We were given some new information, courtesy of your Preventers, of a group of known criminals from the war, hiding away in the former Russian territory. The Preventers have got their hands on them, and are bringing them in for questioning to the prison. So I'll have some late nights coming up," he explained during our walk to the elevator, then down to the parking garage, where my car was waiting.

"You have to interview them?" I asked, feeling worried. He'd told me too many stories already of interrogations gone wrong, effectively making me paranoid for all his future interrogations.

"'Fraid so," he said, opening the car door for me. He was looking at me sadly. I frowned, but I slipped into the backseat, and he took his place beside me. He draped his arm around my shoulder and I leaned into him, smelling his mixture of sweat and deodorant.

_He's missing the smell of leather._

The thought flashed through my mind uninhibited, and I flinched. Lee glanced down at me, his eyebrows raised, but I shook my head.

_Heero always smelled of leather._

I closed my eyes and exhaled, dispelling the thoughts from my mind. They were unnecessary and frustrating.

The car pulled from the parking garage and headed back towards my penthouse.

Lee made dinner for me, and we discussed more details of his upcoming work. Though I was afraid he'd be attacked by one of the war criminals, I also found his work fascinating. We spent many hours discussing our own work, and getting feedback from the other. Behind Lee's happy-go-lucky demeanor, he was very serious about his work, and very intelligent. I began to think of him as having struck the balance in his life that I always pined for. It made me respect him greatly.

That night, he curled up with me on the couch while we zoned out to random television. My head rested in the crook of his arm, and his cheek rested on the top of my head. He was holding me tightly while sprawled on the couch. My fingers were laced through his.

I heard him sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"I didn't really want to go into it, but I feel weird not talking to you about this," he said. I sat up so I could look him in the face. My stomach knotted unpleasantly.

"About what?"

"I had a visit the other day from your ex," he said. I deflated. "He's much more intimidating in close quarters."

"He can be," I agreed, settling back in the couch.

"Anyway, he was a little threatening. But it wasn't that whole "you better not lay a hand on her" thing. It was more like he wanted me to back off indefinitely," Lee explained. I frowned, shaking my head.

"He can't have everything his way," I said, thinking out loud more than making conversation.

"What's his deal?"

"At this point, I don't know," I said. "We went out once after he came back, and it was a bit of a disaster. He returned to town with a girlfriend," I said. Lee nodded. I had probably told him that at some point.

Lee shook his head vigorously. "Enough of this depressing talk. Come on…"

He grabbed my hand and pulled me up from the couch. In the kitchen, he mixed up some martinis, and we drank them on the balcony, dancing to the music playing nearby in the park. At every turn, Lee was constantly surprising me.

* * *

_The Belle of the Ball_

The first weekend of September was always the Annual Preventer Charity Ball. The title always irked me, as the Preventer organization was not a charity, though they were also not for profit. But, the president made that suggestion, and Lady Une was too nice to turn him down. The whole idea of raising money for the Preventer organization was my idea, and I used to plan the whole affair, until it became too much. Eventually, we hired an event planner for all these types of things.

I invited Lee along to be my date, and it wasn't until I was getting ready the night of the ball, that I realized Heero would be there.

I stopped brushing my hair, mid stroke, when the thought hit me. I nearly wilted over my dressing table as the heaviness settled on my shoulders like a winter coat.

"Damn it," I mumbled, a bad habit I picked up from Lee.

I lifted my head and looked at myself in the mirror. I had a new dress, a pretty pink one, trimmed with orange ribbon, and my glittering tulle shawl was waiting on my bed. I'd matched my make up to the dress, with a highlight of pink under the brow - a much more dramatic look than I'd ever used before.

Who cares if he was going to be there, I told myself. I was not obligated to speak to him.

I tried to keep that in mind as I finished preparing.

My limo drove to Lee's apartment building, where I was picking him up for the evening. I watched out the tinted window at his door, a place I'd never been, until he finally stepped down the concrete steps, tugging down the jacket of his tuxedo. His bowtie and cumberbund were the same color as the orange trim on my dress, and incidentally, made his strawberry blonde hair look more orange.

He jogged around to the other side of the limo and pulled open the door to slid inside.

"You look beautiful," he said, grabbing me in his arms and pressing kisses to my face.

"Thanks," I said, my voice muffled against his lips. He smiled at me, and released his hold so I could sit back up. "You're looking handsome." He grinned and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I know." I shook my head, a smile on my face.

"Now remember to be good. You'll be meeting all my non-politician friends," I said, poking him in the arm with one manicured finger. He mocked an appalled expression.

"I'm always good," he said, and I giggled.

"I would say you were 'questionable' at Dorothy's cocktail party," I said, reminding him of a particular evening a few weeks prior. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Dorothy likes me. She didn't mind," he said.

"You're lucky she does," I teased, but I let the subject drop. Heero's presence at the party was still nagging me, and I preferred to spend the rest of the car ride tucked away in Lee's arms.

We arrived at the ball, to wait in a line of limos letting out their passengers. I watched as some familiar faces and some strangers exited their cars and ascended the steps to the ballroom at the Royal Palace.

Lady Une and fourteen-year-old Mariemaia Kushranada were at the top of the steps, greeting visitors as they arrived.

"Relena!"

Mariemaia rushed to me and threw her arms around me in a hug. The braces on her legs weren't visible beneath the long, ruffled skirt she wore. Her shoulder length red hair rivaled Lee's.

"Relena," Une said, kissing my cheek. "So happy to see you here."

"Thank you," I said, then stepped aside to let Lee step up. "This is Lee, from the-"

"Department of War Crimes," Une finished, shaking his hand. "Pleasure." Lee looked a little surprised, but he just smiled anyway, and greeted Mariemaia, somehow making it seem like he'd known her all her life.

"Why you look lovely," he said, taking her hand in his and giving it a kiss. "Like a princess."

Mariemaia was blushing, rather comically. "Miss Relena is the real princess," she said shyly, drawing her hand back to her side once Lee let it go.

"She's too old to be a princess," he whispered to her, and both of them giggled. I smacked him in the arm.

"I heard that," I said. He grinned that grin, and took my arm.

"Save me a dance, Miss Kushranada," he said. We heard her squeal to Lady Une as we passed by and entered the ballroom. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, only to find he was already looking at me.

"Sometimes I can hardly believe you're real," I said. He didn't reply, but pressed a kiss to my cheek before we entered the ballroom.

It wasn't the first time I'd been the Royal Palace, but the magnificence always stunned me. The ballroom was a creamy white color, with gold trim, and many beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

"Huh…" Lee grunted beside me. "Nice place." I turned my head quickly to him.

"Nice?" I asked, though it sounded more like a shriek. "It's more than nice!" Lee gave my hand a squeeze.

"Relax Relena, babe," Lee said. "You're all strung up."

I sighed, returning the squeeze, but the reason for my stress caught my eye. He was there, standing among the guests, wearing a tuxedo. Beside him…

My eyes narrowed unintentionally.

Miko.

She wore a traditional Japanese kimono, which was very pretty, I hated to admit. Her black hair was braided down her back, a pretty comb tucked into her hair just above one ear.

And frustratingly enough, they were talking to the rest of our mutual friends.

"Come on. You're the FM. You're not afraid of anything," Lee said, reading my mind. I glanced up at him, his expression sincere. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, drawing in his strength.

As we entered the crowd, I saw the eyes draw towards me, the way they always did. Heero and Mio's eyes stopped on me, bringing the full attention of my friends on me. I forced a smile, trying to ignore everything else around me. It had been a long time since I last felt so nervous walking into a party.

"Relena!" Duo and Hilde were the first to step forward, echoing my name at the same time. I hugged them both.

"You both look wonderful," I said, admiring their matching tuxedo and dress ensemble. Hilde had chosen a deep purple dress this year, which looked amazing on her. I gestured towards Lee. "This is Lee," I said, "and this is Duo and Hilde."

Like I knew, Lee and Duo seemed to click immediately. Somehow, they quickly dropped into a conversation without further prompting - a trait of men I always found fascinating.

Quatre, Trowa, and Catherine approached, greeting me, and more introductions all around. Beyond Quatre's shoulder, I could see Heero and Miko standing close together. Heero was looking off in another direction, but Miko was staring, openly, at us. The gaze of her dark eyes was unnerving.

* * *

Lee swept me out to the dancefloor when the first song began. He wrapped his hand around my waist and laced his other hand with mine. I rested my free hand on his shoulder, and we stepped into the waltz. I could hear him counting the beats under his breath- 

While he concentrated, I allowed my gaze to sweep around the room. I saw many colleges and other people I had encountered over the past few years, chatting and laughing with each other, drinks in hand. The long table of auction items stood along one side of the room, small groups of guests milling along, checking which items were available this year.

Charlotte, the woman hired to plan the event, fluttered like a hummingbird around the room, checking in with waiters, the band, the bartender, the guests… She was my age, but somehow had the energy and vitality that I now lacked. I felt the ache of age, stress, and painful memories settle over me for a moment, before lifting away as Lee brushed his lips against mine.

"You are too far in thought for a party, Miss Relena," he said, a smirk across his lips. I tilted up my lips in a matching smirk.

"I didn't want to break your concentration," I replied, causing Lee's face to color a bit, but he didn't lose his composure. He simply shrugged and replied,

"All to make you look good." It wasn't really a tease, but I gave him a playful punch anyway. He wrapped his arms fully around my waist and leaned into me, his forehead pressing into my shoulder.

"You are everything," he whispered to me, and my skin pricked at the statement. A fluttery chill crawled down my spine, as it had every time we made love. You are everything.

* * *

Much later in the evening, I was placing a bid on an auction item when I felt his presence behind me. I froze in the middle of writing my bid.

"Relena."

I forced my breathing to resume, and I finished writing the number on the sheet, and turned around slowly, casually brushing a lock of hair from my forehead.

"Heero."

His blue eyes burned behind his dark hair. He was standing incredibly close to me, inches apart. I blinked, and tried to step back, but there was no where to go.

"May I have a word with you?" he asked. I glanced over his shoulder; Lee was chatting with Duo and Hilde, drinks in their hands. I willed them to turn, to see me and my predicament, but they did not. I sighed, a bit more exaggerated than I meant.

"Yes?" I asked, attempting to be aloof. Inside, my heart was hammering, my blood searing with a mixture of anger, annoyance, and something else that I refused to acknowledge.

Heero slipped his hand on my elbow, the way he used to when he was drawing me away from a potentially dangerous situation, and guided me away from the auction table. He brought me to a less populated area of the ballroom, to a set up of chairs and a loveseat. He sat down and waited for me to join him. With much reluctance, I did.

"What is it, Heero?" I asked, keeping my body angled away from him. The bastard caught on though, and placed his hand on my knees, turning me towards him.

"I wanted to apologize to you," he said. I stared him down, my brow furrowed. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Okay."

He stared at me, then lowered his gaze.

"I'm sorry, for… everything." I pressed my lips together, but not from disgust. I couldn't say the words that immediately bubbled up my throat. I forgive you.

I wouldn't give him that. Not yet, anyway.

"Thank you," I said. I began to rise, but he grabbed my arm and kept me seated on the loveseat.

"I have more," he said, an unfamiliar expression on his face. If I had to gauge it, I would say it was… sadness? Repentance? I nodded once, and he continued. "Everything has been a mess since I came back. It has felt that way, anyway. And it's not the way I imagined returning to you, after we'd split up, and I left to finish college. I felt like I lost control of my life while I was there - too many things happened, and even when I tried to stop them, they happened anyway."

"Miko?" I asked, my voice rather mean.

He actually looked ashamed.

"Sort of. She's not a bad person," he said. I frowned. "She wanted to help me."

"So did I."

Heero dropped his head, his chin almost touching his chest. His shoulders were slumped. I mentally berated myself. Clearly, this was not easy for him, and I was just making it more difficult.

"Sorry. Please, go on," I said. He lifted his chin slightly.

"She admires you, almost as much as I do, so we sort of… bonded… over that," he said. It was a strange idea, to form a bond over a mutual admiration for a third party. How was that a basis for a relationship. Heero pressed on, his voice becoming more strained. "It's like she kept you alive for me, and kept me from completely isolating myself from the entire world."

And he followed with the most crushing, irritating statement of all.

"I never stopped loving you."

* * *

When I came to, I was lying on a chaise lounge, in what appeared to be the women's restroom. I blinked, and saw Hilde, Dorothy, and Mariemaia hovering over me, worried expressions on their faces. In my chest, my heart was still pounding, and I tried to remember what happened. I was talking to Heero, and then…

_"I never stopped loving you."_

My stomach dropped, which is what must have happened when he said it out loud.

"Miss Relena," Mariemaia said, taking my hand in hers. "Are you alright?"

I closed my eyes again, taking deep breaths to slow my rapidly beating heart.

"Yes."

"What happened?" Hilde asked. I felt her sit down on the other side of the lounge. "We were just talking, and suddenly Heero was shouting for help. You had passed out."

"Passed out?"

"What were you talking about?" Dorothy asked, her tone slightly accusing, and I wanted to glare at her for it, but my head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.

"Nothing important," I lied.

"Here," Dorothy said, and I opened my eyes. She was holding me a glass of water. A woman, dressed in the uniform of the caterers, had come into the bathroom with a pitcher of water and a glass. I took it and sipped, letting the water dampen the heat inside. I felt better, and slowly sat up, shifting my legs to the side of the lounge, smoothing my dress. I looked around at the women staring at me.

"Any time, darling," Dorothy said, one eyebrow raised expectantly. I pressed my lips together in a frown.

"You'll need a cover story," Mariemaia said conspiratorially.

"Dehydration," Hilde offered. "What did Heero say to you?"

I felt annoyed. How on Earth did everyone seem to know what was going on, with me feeling completely lost. I released a long, slow breath.

"He told me that while he was away - that he'd never stopped loving me."

Their collective gasps made me close my eyes and press a hand to my forehead. There was a knock at the door, which Dorothy opened. Lee stepped in, his face full of worry.

"Babe," he said in an exhale, like he'd been holding his breath until he could see me. Hilde relinquished her spot on the lounge, allowing Lee to sit down immediately. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Dorothy, Hilde, and Mariemaia quietly exited the restroom. For that, I was grateful.

I was not looking forward to lying to Lee. It was unfair to him, and he didn't deserve it. But there was no way I could tell him what happened.

"I think I was just a little dehydrated," I said, keeping my face to his shoulder, so he couldn't see the lie leave my lips.

"Why were you with… Director Yuy?" he asked.

"He was apologizing for the way he acted while we were in Ostend," I said. At least that part wasn't a lie. Lee didn't say anything, but continued to hold me, one hand gently stroking my back.

After a few minutes of silence, I pulled away.

"I'm sorry I worried you. I'm feeling alright now. We can go back to the party," I said. Lee looked skeptical, his mouth opened as if he was going to say more, but he closed his mouth and nodded.

* * *

Heero avoided my gaze for the rest of the evening. It was just as well. I had a feeling that if our eyes met, I'd faint. Again.

I could tell by the way Duo was staring at me that Hilde had told him what happened. He looked both annoyed and happy. But still looked like he wanted to punch Heero in the face. I grew more and more agitated and uncomfortable as the night wore on, and eventually, Lee suggested we go home. I quickly accepted.

My mind spun with the evening, long after we'd collapsed in my bed. Beside me, Lee was snoring lightly, his chest rising and falling with each breath. I lay beside him, sighing over and over again, trying to keep imagines and memories from my mind.

I grew more and more depressed as the night went on. I lay on my side, watching Lee, dissecting my feelings for him in light of Heero's recently revealed attachment. I felt that I did love Lee, but it was a different kind of love than the furious love I felt for Heero. Lee was pink roses, and Heero was black and red roses.

Not that it mattered much. Heero was still with Miko, and who knew if or when their relationship would cease. And I had Lee, who cared for me more than I could have thought possible. Guilt gnawed at me relentlessly.

I gave up on sleeping, and wandered my penthouse apartment with a cup of tea in my hand until the sun came up.

* * *

_October_

The first touches of fall chilled the air and changed the colors of the leaves from vibrant green to red and brown and orange. The wardrobe in my office changed to heavier clothing, in anticipation of the ever freezing ESUN building. My colleagues and myself began collecting cardigans, sweaters, and heavy jackets in our offices, just in case.

With the change in the weather came a change in my attitude. Although, it happened slowly over the past month, gray skies clouding my mind and the sky. Lee noticed, but didn't say anything. Instead, he'd hold me a little tighter, or kiss me a little longer.

For a while, it felt difficult to be around him, but I knew it was the problem in my own mind. There was nothing wrong with us - just me and my inability to get Heero Yuy from my mind. But it faded eventually - the obsessive thoughts - because Lee was different than Heero. And when Lee was around, I felt like a different person, a better person. He made me calm, and that was more than a busy girl could ask for.

But there was still a part of my mind that craved chaos and uncertainty. As much as I pushed and pushed it away, it continually came back to torment me.

The final blow came in the middle of the month, when Lee entered my office well before our scheduled lunch time. His expression was bleak.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He half-heartedly returned the affection, a deep frown on his face.

"I have bad news, baby," he said. My stomach and throat tightened at the same time.

"What?"

"My position is being relocated," he said, his voice strained and thin. I sucked in a painful breath and froze.

"Re-relocated?" I asked, tears welling in my eyes. "Where?" He finally tightened his hold on me, his cheek resting against the top of my head.

"American territories - to the ESUN office in New York."

"So far?" Silently, my tears were falling down my cheeks, dropping onto Lee's shoulder. "But why?"

Beneath my hands, I could feel his body shuddering. Heavy breaths came from him, as if trying to hold back his own tears.

"They need me, I guess," came his mumbled reply. I closed my eyes and held onto him, just as he held onto me, both feeling the weight of life slowly crushing what happiness we'd formed since the summer.

"Lee…" I sobbed. He buried his face in my shoulder and crushed me against his chest.

Holding each other fast, we sank to the ground, and remained that way for a long time, each crying our own silent tears, until our respective shirts were soaked. Through each wave of sorrow that rolled through me, a secondary thought cropped up: Here is a man that has shed tears for me. It made the force of my sorrow stronger and my sobs more desperate.

Gently, we pulled apart, limbs still entwined. I looked into Lee's face and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He smiled sadly.

"We could…" I began to say, but Lee shook his head.

"It's not fair to both of us," he said. I stared at him, and I saw the moment when his resolve crumbled down, but not how I expected.

"I heard about what Heero said to you," he said, voice low, his eyes locked on mine, searching me for my reaction. Unfortunately, he saw my shame.

"How?"

"Grapevine," he answered. "I can't say I blame him," Lee added with a chuckle. He pressed a palm to my face, though beyond his smile, there was still vast amounts of sadness. I tried to look away, but his hand kept me facing him. "You two do belong together."

"You're talking nonsense," I said, my emotions crumbling into a pile of rubble once more. Tears formed again, but this time, Lee wiped them away.

"Before I knew about this," he said, gesturing vaguely to indicate his transfer, "I went and talked to him." I believe my mouth dropped open slightly. "We had a few beers, actually."

It felt like a rock just fell on top of me. I opened my mouth to speak, but was lost for words.

"I know you are surprised. But I felt uneasy after your fainting spell at the ball. He told me - everything."

"Like what?" I managed.

"His feelings for you. Your history together. His mistakes. Something about his eyes made me constantly think of you. It wasn't until later that I realized what it was - there's a deep burning fire in both of you, and not the kind you can put out with water. I don't think I can feel even a bit of the emotions that you both have."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wanted to call him a liar, but he wasn't lying. His eyes could not lie - a grievous difference between the two of us.

"After we talked," he went on, "I knew I was lucky that you cared for me. I suppose it was jealousy that made me want to keep you by my side…" He looked a little ashamed. I reached for his hands, pulling him closer to me.

"You aren't giving yourself enough credit," I said. "You've helped me more than you could possibly know."

"I think I have an idea," he replied, and pressed a kiss to my lips. It was sweetly sad, like we were coming to the bottom of a bag of candy.

"This whole transfer has made me wake up to the truth," Lee said. I opened my mouth to protest what I knew he'd say, but he pressed his fingers to my lips. "I believe we meet people for a reason. You and I met when we needed each other the most. We both needed a friend who could understand the other." I nodded at the truth of it.

"So you want us to end things?" I asked, my throat like sandpaper as I spoke.

"I don't _want_ it, no. But I know it has to happen. I'm a stronger person now, and I've learned a lot about schmoozing with the elite, yet retaining compassion. They're having a lot of problems in the American territories, and I know I can be of help to them, thanks to you."

I wanted to believe that he was only saying these things to make me feel better. For one of the first times since the ball, I was only thinking of Lee, and here he was, breaking up with me. That's exactly what was happening. But even over his words, intended to make me feel better, I was sinking down into despair.

I released my hold on him, and my hands dropped into my lap.

"Please don't be sad."

"Too late," I mumbled, and pressed my hands to my face.

"Know that I will always care for you, until I die. We will be great, unstoppable friends, who may have slept together," he said, his whimsy creeping back into his voice. I couldn't help but smile and nod my head in assent.

Lee pulled me back into his arms once more. We sat there for a long time, our hearts talking instead of our minds. With my eyes closed, I asked for guidance from anyone who would listen, for some sign that I would be okay. But the only thing I could see was Lee and his smile. Perhaps that was all the only sign I needed.

* * *

The ESUN wasted no time in shipping Lee off to the Americas. We had our good byes at my apartment, relishing in one last time together before we agreed to remain friends. My heart ached to watch him go, as if he were leaving for Mars instead of just a few thousands miles away, across an ocean. I could have arranged to see him when I liked, but the words went unsaid between us that our lives would be too busy to carry on a romantic relationship. But he would prove to be a useful ally, sticking up for me on every proposal, and when he was made Minister of War Crimes, we worked together on many projects, including one aimed at rehabilitating soldiers who still struggled with peace. It was almost like an homage from both of us to people like Heero.

* * *

_A Saturday in December_

I stepped inside the cafe, the warmth inside instantly thawing my frozen cheeks and nose. I stomped on the mat by the door to knock the snow off my boots, then looked around. Most of the tables were occupied with other early morning holiday shoppers. They had bags piled up beside them on the benches, just as I had many hanging off my arms. As my eyes glanced around, something caught my eye, and my breath stuck in my lungs.

Across the cafe, in a corner booth alone, sat Heero Yuy.

I let out a long exhale, trying to still my heart. I hadn't seen him at all since the charity ball. I remained still, trying to make up my mind about what I should do, when Heero glanced up from his table and his eyes met mine.

It felt like being sucked under a large wave in the ocean.

He rose from the table and crossed the cafe, until he was standing in front of me. His lips were in a small smile, but his eyes looked sad.

"Relena," he said, melting the ice around the part of my heart where he'd always resided.

"Hello, Heero," I said. Heero reached out to me, and I flinched slightly, wondering what his intentions were, but he simply took a few of the bags off my arm.

"Share my table," he said, in that way that always sounded more like a command than a request. But I smiled back at him and nodded.

"Sure."

He lead me back over towards his table. He caught the eye of one of the waitresses and motioned for her to come over. I set my bags down on the plastic covered bench and sat down across from Heero. The young woman walked to the side of the table.

"Coffee?" she asked. I nodded, and she flitted away, her skirt swishing around her hips. I glanced at Heero, for some reason expecting his eyes to be following the waitress, but his eyes were locked on me.

"It's good to see you," he said. His hands wrapped around his coffee cup, which I could see contained black coffee, as usual.

"You too," I replied. The waitress set down the cup of coffee and a menu. I pulled the cream and sugar towards me and began to fix up the coffee to my liking. "How has work been going?"

"Fine. You?"

I looked up at him. He was grinning slightly.

"I'm sure you already know how it's going," I said, dropping a bit of humor. He chuckled.

"It's going very well for you right now," he said. I nodded, and took a sip of the coffee. It was still hot, and scalded my tongue. I grimaced and pushed the cup away from me.

"And how is - the rest of your life?" I asked, stumbling awkwardly over my choice of words. I thought I saw his eyes darken slightly, but he maintained eye contact.

"That is no longer a thing," he said, and paused for a long moment. "I was sorry to hear about Minister Gallagher."

I smiled sadly, and nodded. "I do miss him, but we keep in touch." Heero's gaze seemed to intensify.

"Are you...?"

I shook my head. "We're friends." A somewhat awkward silence passed by. The waitress brought my coffee, and I ordered a danish.

"What happened with Miko?" I asked at last. Better to get the elephant out of the room.

"She said I was boring."

I couldn't help the laughter that escaped from me. I slapped my hands over my mouth and tried to hold it back. My cheeks blazed in a blush, but when I looked back at Heero, he had a smile on his face.

"I suppose it's kind of funny."

"Ironic, more like," I said. "She knows about, you know, your past?"

To my surprise, Heero shook his head.

"I left out the Gundam part. She only knows I was a soldier," he replied. "Anyway, she's with one of the Preventers from her recruitment class." I finally reigned in my laughter.

"I am sorry to hear that," I said. Heero nodded, but he shrugged his shoulders slightly.

We fell silent for a moment. I don't know what he was thinking, but I had a feeling we were thinking the same thing - about how quickly our lives have progressed since the wars, and how much other things have changed.

"Do you think we could get together sometime? As friends?" Heero asked, breaking the silence between us. A smile tugged at my lips.

"Are you asking me out, Heero Yuy?" I asked. He shrugged shyly, and I saw a bit of pink flare up on his cheeks. It was endearing, to see him reacting in such a way. Heero reached across the table and took my hands in his.

"I've made many questionable decisions in my life, Relena," Heero began. His expression was soft, and it was clear to me that many of his former walls had indeed been broken down. Perhaps I did have Miko to thank for something. "When I left you the first time, I thought it was for the best. But over time… when you were with Lee, I thought you were gone from me forever." I smiled slightly. "This is a second chance for me, and for us… if you're willing."

My emotions were split down the middle.

We broke up before because we were on different paths. Was it possible that they could converge again?

I looked away from Heero and stared down at my coffee. My mind was blank about what I could possibly say, other than 'I don't know.'

He gave my hands a squeeze.

"I understand if you need time," he said quietly. Our eyes met again, and I couldn't help but smile at him. I propped my chin up in my hand. I began to feel familiar stirs inside of me - danger, ambition, and excitement. He'd always known my mind, even if he never admitted it, and I always knew his, even if I hated it. Our relationship had been joined by barbed wire, but we were no longer afraid of getting hurt to reach to the other side. Our respective divergences had taught us to not be afraid.

"We have all the time we need, to do this right," I said. His eyes shone.

"Of course."

* * *

_Everybody loses,everybody loses, everybody loses_  
_We all got bruises, We all got bruises, We all got bruises_

_-Train & Ashley Monroe_

* * *

THE END

A/N: You are all wonderful.

-SE


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